U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to establish two more Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs) by the end of FY 2012, and five more after that by the end of FY 2013, CBP said in an updated "Trade Transformation" document. CBP said it is planning to establish a center for Automotive and Aerospace in Detroit and a Petroleum, Natural Gas and Minerals center in Houston.
Broker Power is providing readers with some of the top stories for April 30-May 4, 2012 in case they were missed last week.
Registration for the July-December Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) course is now available, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America said. Students with at least one year of experience in the U.S. import industry, or current Canadian CCS holders who want to expand their base knowledge, can apply through May 31. Details are (here). Registration is (here). Additional broker or forwarder training information is (here). Additional information: Cecilia Ferrara at nei@ncbfaa.org or 202-466-0222.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the European Union (EU) reached a Mutual Recognition (MR) Decision between CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program and the EU’s Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program May 4, 2012. An EU press release said the mutual recognition would begin July 1, 2012.
The Census Bureau issued AES Broadcast #2012033 as a reminder that the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) will host an Automated Export System (AES) Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Workshops in East Lansing, Mich., May 9-10. Also, Census said, The Los Angeles Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association will host an AES Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Workshops in Newport Beach, California May 15-16.
California Grapes International said it launched its new Broker Alliance Program (BAP), which specifically targets the convergence of the California Wines Industry’s Export Brokers. CGI said international markets pose a significant challenge for the current export brokers due to the competition of well organized, well-supported and often subsidized wine producing countries. BAP is intended to provide a more consolidated international sales effort, in addition to uniform export documents and policies, an in-market presence and the assurance of complying with the proper import procedures and customs registration. Members of“BAP will also become owners of California Grapes International through a stock base incentive program. it said.
The next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection (COAC) will be on May 22, 2012 at 1 p.m. (EST) in Savannah, Ga. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seeking comment on the planned agenda items, according to a notice in the Federal Register May 4, 2012. Online registration for webcast and in-person attendance at the COAC meeting is open through May 18, 2012.
The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) conference had 542 attendees this year, up from 522 last year, according to the NCBFAA. This year's conference was at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Fla., April 22-26.
Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organization and chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee, reported to the General Council May 1 on progress in the Doha Round, and in particular the work of negotiating groups, according to the WTO. Lamy said the situation had not evolved much since his last report, but that he has a sense that Members wish to explore any opportunities to gain the necessary traction and make tangible progress soon. Highlights of his reports on negotiating groups follow:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection released an April update for ACE Trade Account Owners. The update included reminders on the ongoing Document Imaging System (DIS) pilot and the Sept. 29, 2012, effective date for required use of ACE to file advance information for ocean and rail cargo to CBP.